Wardrobe tray



July 23, 1940. 4 J PLOTKIN 2,209,171

WARDROBE TRAY Filed Aug. 1, 1 938 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ily ,zzvezzfoz;

July 23, 1 940. J L m 2,209,171

WARDROBE TRAY Filed Aug. 1, 1958 .2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented July 23, 1940 WARDROBE TRAY Joseph H. Plotlrin, Chicago, 111., assignor to s.. Dresner & Son, Inc., Chicago, Ill., a.corporation of Illinois ApplicationAugust 1, 1938, Serial No. 222,396-

' 2 Claims. (01.19041) r reinforcing angle plate which will now be de-' My present invention relates to a tray, applicable to hand luggage, and equipped with wardrobe fixtures of improved character. More particularly, the present invention is directed to the mounting for the wardrobe fixtures within the tray, and the manner in which such mounting cooperates therewith to reinforce the tray structure, and to provide for the ready accommodation of garments which are to be folded and packed in such a tray which is receivable within a luggage case of appropriate character. The parts which enter into the construction, hereinafter to be described, are simple, inexpensive, easily assembled, and may be operated without liability of breakage. A suggestive embodiment of this invention is set forth in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a luggage case -with its cover opened up to exhibit the wardrobe tray, the clothes supporting rack being shown as swung to an upper or vertical position;

Figs, 2, 3, 4 and 5 are perspective views illustrating successive stages in the folding and packing of garments within the wardrobe tray;

Fig. 6 is a top plan view of the tray; 7

Fig. '7 is an enlarged detail in vertical section, taken on line l-l .of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a similar view, taken on line 8-3 of Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is a similar view, taken on line 9-'-9 of Fig. '7;

Fig. 10, which is a view similar to Fig. 9, shows the rack in the position it occupies after being slid and swung to an upper position; and

Fig. 11 is a detail in sectionshowing one of the forward rack corners.

The wardrobe tray of my invention is shown in connection with a luggage case having abody B to which is hinged a cover 0. Within the case body is afiixed a suitable support (see Fig, 1) on which the tray T may be rested, desirably in an elevated position above its bottom. The case may be equipped with the usual carrying handle I2 and latches l3 by which it is maintained releasably in locked condition.

The tray comprises a bottom l5, end walls I 6, a back wall I! and, if desired, a low front wall 18. As by means of an appropriate fabric, the tray is desirably covered over its bottom and marginal walls to present a neat and attractive appearance. The several tray walls are joined to the bottom and to each other where they meet, and in addition I provide between each end and back wall a fixture F constituting an internal scribed.

Referring particularly to Fig. 8, each of these two fixtures is in the form of an angle platehaving end flangesZO andll, in right angular. re-' lation, adapted to rest-against the innerfaces of adjacent walls of the tray for connection therewith as by rivets 22; between these flanges the fitting is reversely bent to provide walls 23 and 24 at right angles to each other and each spaced from and-parallel with one of the'tray walls. The walls forming each fixture aredesirably extended for substantially the full ver-' tical heighth of the tray, and at the upper end one wall is laterally bent to provide a cover 25 which overlies the space which is closed in by the fixture. Formed in the fixture side 24 which is parallel with one tray end wall is a slot 26 (see Fig. 9) extending vertically thereof from a pointclose to the bottom clear to the top'and'then laterally at 21 part way across the cover. The slot thus provided in one fixture lies opposite the corresponding slot in the other fixture- A wardrobe rack R is formed to lie within the tray. This may be of the open or closed type of constructiomas preferred. In the sug--- 'gestive constructionillustrated -'-in'-'Fig. 6 this rack comprises three bars, the two end ones 30 of which extend parallel with the tray ends,-'being spaced fromeach other a distance substantially the length of the remaining bar 3| which lies proximate to the front wall l8 of the "tray. The cross sectional form of each bar, best-shown in Figs. 9 and 11, is concavo-convex with inturned flanges 32 which provide in efiecta' channel. Connection is made-between each end'bar'and the forward bar as byymeans of a rounded corner piece 33, also of concavo-convex form," with its two ends terminating in arms 34 which extend in right angular relation for inter fitting within the end of thechanneled bar proximate thereto. When so arranged, the corner pieces may be locked'to the bars as by means of rivets 35, spot-welds or thelike. The bars thus con nectedconstitute three outer margins of the rack, and are transversely braced as by a longi- The rack is provided with a pair ofoppositely I extended trunnions disposed adjacent the rear end thereof. As shown best in Fig. 10, each trunnion may comprise a spool 40 which is fitted upon and locked to a pin 4| extending through an end bar of the'rack from the proximate end of the brace bar which is joined thereto. The base a. of' the'spool (see Fig. 9) is rounded in conformity withthe convex face of-thebar against which itis'fitted, whereby to prevent rotation relative thereto. 'Ihe'outer flange b of the spool which forms the head of the trunnion is flattened in the planeof the rack sothat when therack' j .isvertically positioned the width of the trunnion head'is such that it may enter through: the slot 21 in the cover of the reinforcing fixture. When swung to any other position, however, the trunnion width is in excess of that of the slot. I have secured to the back wall of the tray'a base on which is supported a u -shaped hook" which comprises an upwardly extending post. 46

' in spacedrelation to the base.

A hanger H which'is adapted :for reception within the, tray beneaththe 1rack-is equipped with: alclip, 41 adapted ta fit over the post. whereby they-hanger is connected slidablythereto. 3A hook 4,8, pivotally secured to the hanger as at Q9, isprovided at one .endwith aalateral; finger 50 adapted, in the position shown in Fig. ,6; to engagethe post be neath. a pin 5f provided neanits upper end whereby the hanger is prevented from sliding off the post except when the hook islaterally turned to'a position which withdraws the finger away fromqthe-post:

. In use, the rack maybe positioned vertically,

as in Figs, land 2, where it is attachable to or removablefrom the tray fixture. Oneormore pair of trousers may then be laidin thetray, as

drapedover ,a hanger, may then be laid over the trousers-whose. ends up to that point 'areextended tw y beyond the case en s, as s own in Fig; 3. With the hanger positioned-on the post the rack is thenswi ngxikwi'ntea position within the stray so as to overlie the garments whi h h ve lrea y been positioned tl in-..- A a final Operation the trouserends maybe folded in over the rack (see Fig.4), and-thev lower por: tion, of the vcoat and, vest, be folded over the trouser ends, as shown Fig.5. The rack trunnions may slide upwardly as reguiredyby the th kness :of the clothi which. e the eb oiv- Two io v more sui s ay be a qmmeda ed w t n the t ay, dependin upo t depth addi a' ha s being seda n ede 1,

- The tray,. o ether wi dr i d me t he e n, ay b l ed f m th v s as in its entiretywhenever it is desired to have access to its other*.contents Also wheneverdesired, the clothing draped over .thelraek maybe extended outwardly again, permittin'gthe freedrack to :be .swu gupwardly whe on t pmo t h ng r withj garments-thereon maybehited from. the tray without ,disturbingthe clo'thin g therebelow.

I The rac ma a o e el remo e f om he tion and the adjacent end Wall, and each fitting being also provided with a slot of substantially uniform width throughout its length extending throughsaid top and. through said intermediate portion and downwardly thereon and terminating j short of the bottom of the fitting, and a garment supporting rack receivable within the tray and provided with oppositely extending trunnions operating in said slots, each trunnionhaving a flattened terminal head received in theaf oresaid space, said heads being of greater length than the width of vthe'slotsand having a thickness 'thanthe width of said slots," the length ofv the head extending transversely-bf said slotinfthe housed position of the rack and extending lo'n i5 tudinally of said slot in the unhoused position of said rack to permit 'thevhea'd to pass through the slot in the top'ofthe fitting wheh 'th'e aid;

is swung f out of. the tray to a remote" pd ition with the transverse 'head idispos'ed longit idinally o-lf 'the slotf' I M Y ,2 .',A; luggage, tray incl ding end walls" and. a back wall, corner fittin s each secured to an end wall and the back wall and rigidly connectihgjthe same andfe'ach having an intermed ate portion spaced from said end wall "inoppdsedfrelation,

and each fitting being-J'also'provided with a vertidal slot open at its' lt'op' and: pr substantially uniform width tn ughout its, len th. extending d wnwardl p hrdu h; said, intermediateportion and ter ninating shortiof the bottom Iof the fitting, a garment supporting'rack receivable within the tray and provided with oppositely extending trunnions swingi'ngly and slidably operating in 7 said slots, each trunnio navingff'a ii'att'ene'dgterminal .head received in, the aforesaid space; said heads being of greater length than the width of the slotsandhaving a thickness less thahi'jthe width of said slots, the length of thehead .xtending transversely. of saidslot in the housed position jqr the rack'and extending longitudinally of saidslot in the unhoused position of saidra'ck to p rmit the, ad t a t r u h the lot in the fittingwhen" the rack is swung'out of. the

,tray to l-a remote position with the transverse head disposed longitudinally of the slot, and

' means oii'the fitting disposedadjacent the upper end of thefslot close to one'of'the eugest er' f adaptedtc e a e t ea to e e t'm ve nt thereoff outiroin the slot \except'when 'thef 'head is alignedlongitudinallyofthe slot.

' JOSE-PHJH. PLOTK' 

